Device for spacing and delivering pallets



June 25, 1929. R STRNGHT 1,718,443

DEVICE FOR SPACING AND DELIVERING P ALLETS Q 913. 29, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l l\ lm/emfor I i 1929- H. R. STRAIGHT DEVICE FOR SPACING AND DELIVERING PALLEYTS 2 Sheets-Sheet Kw Wu C S\C. S u a a 3 .Q t km w 2 v6 a w m 2 q QM 8 QM & m l 2 t c o d e l i F [Weill or qnys Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,718,443 PATENT OFFICE.

HALVER R. STRAIGHT, F ADEIJ, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO ETHEL H. STRAIGHT, OF

ADEL, IOW'A.

DEVICE FOR SPACING AND DELIVERING PALLETS.

Application filed October 29, 1924. Serial No. 746,568.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for handling pallets, such as used in drying plastic clay products, and it is es pecially designed to be used between the tile machine and the drying ki'ln for the purpose of automatically delivering the pallets from the delivery conveyor of a tile machine to predetermined points in front of the drying kiln, said delivering mechanism being in the nature of a continuous conveyor.

The object of my invention is to provide means for spacing the pallets on the said continuous conveyor equidistantly apart in such a manner that the said conveyormay be intermitt ently operated, and when in its inoperative position will stop the pallets in front of the kiln in such a manner that they may be easily moved into position in said kiln.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1.is a plan view of my improved mechanism showing the manner in which it is mounted relative to a drier kiln.

Figure 2 is a plan view of my improved mechanism having a portion of the center broken away to shorten the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view I taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, showing the auxiliary pallet frame in a lowered position whereas in Figure 2 it is elevated.

Figure 1 is an enlarged detail view showing a portion of the delivery conveyor of the tile machine and the manner in which the pallets are fed to my improved mechanism.

1, Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of the switch arm.

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on the line 77 of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatical view of the electric circuits used in connection with my improved apparatus.

The numeral 10 indicates a portion of a drier kiln having a. series of compartments 11, 12 and 13, said compartments being separated by partition walls 14. Said Walls 14 are provided with track members 15 designed to receive a series .of pallets 16 which are moved into the drier kiln through the end of said compartments.

The numeral 17 indicates what I shall term a delivery conveyor, which is operated continuously by means of sprocket wheels 18. The said conveyor is designed to carry pallets 19 from a tile machine not illustrated, said pallets 19 being placed on the top run of said conveyor 17 and extended longitudinally therewith. The pallets 19 are delivered from the conveyor 17 to an intermittently moving transfer conveyor 20 which has its receiving end adjacent to the delivery end of the conveyor 17 and extends adjacent and parallel with the receiving end of the drier 10, with the top run of the conveyor 20 in a common horizontal plane with the tracks 15, so that as the pallets are delivered from the conveyor '17 to the conveyor 20, and if the said conveyor is operated, the pallets will be carried to a position opposite the openings of the compartments of said drier, after which the pallets may be slid laterally from the said conveyor 20 to the tracks 15, all of said pallets being moved simultaneously. It will be seen that it is necessary that the pallets be properly spaced on the conveyor 20 so that a pallet will be in exact alinement with each of the crlilmpartments before they are moved latera v y.

The mechanism for operating the conveyor 20 and for spacing the said pallets is as follows:

The conveyor 20 is mounted on sprocket wheels 21 and 22. The upper run of said conveyor is supported at short intervals by means of cross members which are supported by uprights 24 from the base member 25. The sprocket wheels 22 are mounted on a shaft 26, one end of which is provided with a spur gear 27 designed to mesh with a pinion 28, said pinion being mounted on one end of the motor shaft 29 of the electric motor 30. Said motor 30 provides means whereby the conveyor 20 is operated at a speed considerablv faster than the conveyor 17.

The receivingend of the conveyor 20 is provided with an auxiliary frame member 31. Extending transversely and beneath the frame 31 at each end is a shaft 32, said shafts being mounted on suitable uprights 33. Each of the shafts 32 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending rotk arms 34 pivotally connected with the frame 31 One end of each of the shafts 32 is provided with a downwardly extending arm 35, the free ends of which are connected by means of a link 36. This provides means whereby when the said link 36 is moved longitudinally, the frame 31 will be elevated and lowered. A spring 37 is connected to the rear one of the arms 35 to normally hold the frame 31 in an elevated position, said upward movement being limited by means of a pin 38 extending outwardly from one of the supports 33.

vlit will be seen in Figure 5 that the pallets 19 are considerably wider than the conveyor 20, and that the side members of the frame 31 are .wider than the said pallets 19. The inner faces of the side members of the frame 31 are provided with a series of flanged pulleys 39 which are designed to receive the outer edges of the under surface of the pallets 19, so that when the frame 31 is in its elevated position, the pallets 19will be pushed on to the pulleys 39. In this connection it should be noted that the conveyor 17 is slightly higher than the conveyor 20, with the top faces of the pulleys 39 level with the top face of the conveyor 17 when the frame 31 is in its elevated position.

Located near the delivery end of the frame 31 is a trip arm 40 pivotally connected to one of the side members of the frame 31 by a pivot 41. Said arm 40 extends rearwardly and is provided with an inwardly extending shoulder 42 designed to rest in the path of the pallets 19 as they are advanced rearwardly, in such a manner that the free end of the said arm 40 will be swung outwardly when a pallet 19 has its entire weight resting on the pulleys 39. The arm 40 is also provided with an outwardly extending arm43 which has an electric terminal 44 designed to engage a terminal 45 supported by means of a bracket 46 to close an electric circuit including conductor wires 47 and 48. The conductor 48 includes the motor 30, an electromagnet '49 and a relay switch 49. Said magnet 49 has a slidable core 50 to which a link 51 is connected. One end of the link 51 is pivotally connected to the rear one of the arms 35, so that when the said terminals 44 and 45 are closed, a circuit will be established through the magnet 49', causing the core 50 to be drawn inwardly and the lower end of the arms 35 to f be swung rearwardly and the frame 31 lowcred, and a current will also pass through a highresistance shunt 49* around the motor 30 and through the relay coil of the switch 49*,c1osing the switch and starting the motor 30; The purpose of the relay switch is to delay the action of the motor 30 so as to permit-the frame 31 to \belowered' and the pallets placed on the conveyor 20 before the said "conveyor is set into operation, and thereby prevent any creeping or slipping act-ion be- 31 may be lowered so that the pallet resting on the pulleys 39 will engage and be support ed on the top run of the conveyor 20 before the motor has started. 19 may then be advanced on the conveyor 20 until its forward end has passed an extension member 52 from the shoulder 42 of the arm 40, at which time the free end of the arm 40 will be permitted to swing inwardly disconnecting the terminals 44 and 45 and opening the electric circuit, permitting the frame 31 to be elevated and the motor 30 to be stopped. It should be borne in mind that the conveyor 20 is being operated at a speed considerably faster than the speed of the conveyor 17, so that the frame 31 may be The lowered pallet lowered to place the pallet on the conveyor 20, so that the said pallet may be advanced ahead of the next incoming pallet of the conveyor 17 a considerable distance, to permit the conveyor 20 to rest a short time between each operation of the motor 30 before the incoming pallet of the conveyor 17 reaches the member 42. During the rest period of the conveyor 20, the pallets 19 in front of the compartments 11, 12 and 13 are at that time moved into position in said compartments. This periodical rest of the conveyor 20 is easily accomplished without excessive speed of the frame 31 or the conveyor, 20 as the speed of the conveyor 17 is very slow, only a few feet per minute. Means is thus provided whereby the pallets 19 may be spaced equidistantly apart on the conveyor 20. the distance of which should be equal to the thickness of the walls 14, the distance between the ad acent ends of.the pallets being varied by adjusting the member 52'on the member 42. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the pallets may be brought to position in front of the openings of the compartments 11, 12 and 13 and in proper alinement therewith.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a transfer conveyor, an

auxiliary frame member adjacent to the re-- a series of rollers for receiving a pallet, a

delivery conveyor in alinement with the first said conveyor, means for yieldably supporting said auxiliary frame in an elevated position with the top faces of said rollers in a common plane with the top run of said delivery conveyor and adapted to receive pallets therefrom and above said transfer eonveyor, a trip mechanism designed to be actuated as the pallet is moved into position on said auxiliary frame member, means op erated by said trip mechanism for lowering said auxiliary frame member to lay the pallet on said transfer conveyor, means set into operation by said trip mechanism for advancing said transfer conveyor and the' said pallet thereon until the said pallet has passed the trip mechanism, and means actuated by the release of said trip mechanism for stoplivery conveyor in alinement with the first said conveyor, means for yieldably supporting said auxiliary frame in an elevatedposition with the top faces of said rollers in a common plane with the top run of said delivery conveyor and adapted to receive pallets I therefrom and above said transfer conveyor, a trip mechanism designed to be actuated as the'pallet is moved into position on said auxiliary frame member, means operated by said trip mechanism for lowerim said auxiliary frame member-to lay the pallet on said transfer conveyor, means set into operation by said trip mechanism for advancing 'said transfer conveyor and the'said pallet thereon until the said pallet has passed the trip mechanism, and means actuated by the release of said trip mechanism for stopping said transfer conveyor and permitting said auxiliary frame to be elevated, said trip mechanism including an adjustable element whereby the spacing of the pallets on said transfer conveyor may be varied.

3. In combination, a transfer conveyor, an auxiliary frame member adjacent to the receiving end of said transfer conveyor, a delivery conveyor in alinement with said transfer conveyor and said auxiliary frame, means for yieldably supporting said auxiliary frame in an elevated position with its top face in a common plane with the top of said delivery conveyor and adaptedtd receive'pallets therefrom, a trip mechanism designed to be actuated as a pallet is moved into position on said auxiliary frame member, said trip mechanism including an electric contact device, an electric circuit including said contact device,

a magnet, a motor, said motor being provided with a shunt circuit including a relay switch, said switch being included in the motor circuit, means operated by the core of said magnet for lowermg said auxiliary frame, means actuated by said motor for advancing said transfer conveyor. 4

4. In combination, a transfer conveyor, an auxiliary frame, a delivery conveyor adapted to deliver pallets end to end to said auxi iary frame, means for actuating said transfer conveyor, means for actuating said auxiliary frame to deliver pallets to said transfer conveyor, and means controlled by the movement of the pallets on said auxiliary frame for controlling and synchronizing the movement of said transfer conveyor and said auxiliary 6 frame, whereby the pallets will be delivered to said transfer conveyor spaced apart predetermined distances.

.5. In combination, a transfer conveyor, an auxiliary frame, a deliveryconveyor for delivering pallets to said auxiliary frame, a tri mechanism designed'to be actuated as the a let is moved into position on said auxiliary frame, means operated by said trip mechanism for moving said auxiliary frame to deliver the pallet thereon to saidtransfer conveyor,means set into operation by said trip mechanism for advancing said transfer conveyor and the pallet thereon until the said pallet has passed the trip mechanism, and means actuated by the release of said trip mechanism for stopping said transfer conveyor and permitting said auxiliary frame to be moved to its normal position.

Des Moines,

Iowa, October 14, 1924. HALVER R. STRAIGHT. 

